Lochu wrestling

Lochu is a Pahlavani wrestling that has been popular in the northern regions of the country since a long time ago. Some consider it a celebration of the end of the rice harvest, and some consider it a celebration of Tirgan. In this wrestling, each athlete tries to force one or more parts of the opponent’s body to the ground. The word Lochu is a combination of “lo” meaning side or edge and “chu” meaning wood. The reason behind the name is that a three-meter-high wood is planted in the arena and the championship prize is hung on it. The wrestler who can win the championship title at the end of this match will take possession of the wood along with the prize and return to the village with his fans playing musical instruments and drums. In big and official competitions, the prize is sheep and cows. These competitions are held every year in the month of August in Babol city and its surrounding villages.